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Innovation Academy Science and Engineering Fair (IASEF) Judging Criteria
(Science Projects and Engineering Projects have slightly different rubrics)
The following evaluation criteria are used for judging at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). As shown below, science and engineering have different criteria, each with five sections as well as suggested scoring for each section. Each section includes key items to consider for evaluation both before and after the interview.
Students are encouraged to design their posters in a clear and informative manner to allow pre-interview evaluation and to enable the interview to become an in-depth discussion.
Considerable emphasis is placed on two areas: Creativity and Presentation, especially in the Interview section, and are discussed in more detail below.
Creativity: A creative project demonstrates imagination and inventiveness. Such projects often offer different perspectives that open up new possibilities or new alternatives. Judges should place emphasis on research outcomes in evaluating creativity.
Presentation/Interview: The interview provides the opportunity to interact with the finalists and evaluate their understanding of the project’s basic science, interpretation, and limitations of the results and conclusions.
If the project was done at a research or industrial facility, the judge should determine the degree of independence of the finalist in conducting the project, which is documented on Form 1C.
If the project was completed at home or in a school laboratory, the judge should determine if the finalist received any mentoring or professional guidance.
If the project is a multi-year effort, the interview should focus ONLY on the current year’s work. Judges should review the project’s abstract and Form 7 (ISEF Continuation Projects) to clarify what progress was completed this year.
Please note that both team and individual projects are judged together, and projects should be judged only on the basis of their quality. However, all team members should demonstrate significant contributions to and an understanding of the project.
Science Project Rubric
ASYNCHRONOUS (poster viewed online)
I. Research Question (10 pts)
___ clear and focused purpose (4 points)
___ identifies contribution to field of study (3 points)
___ testable using scientific methods (3 points)
II. Design and Methodology (15 pts)
___ well designed plan and data collection methods (8 points)
___ variables and controls defined, appropriate and complete (7 points)
III. Execution: Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation (20 pts)
___ systematic data collection and analysis (5 points)
___ reproducibility of results (5 points)
___ appropriate application of mathematical and statistical methods (5 points)
___ sufficient data collected to support interpretation and conclusions (5 points)
IV. Creativity (20 pts)
___ project demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria
IN PERSON (during the face-to-face presentation)
V. Presentation (35 pts)
a. Poster 10 pts)
___ logical organization of material (4 points)
___ clarity of graphics and legends (3 points)
___ supporting documentation displayed (3 points)
b. Interview (25 pts)
___ clear, concise, thoughtful responses to questions (4 points)
___ understanding of basic science relevant to project (4 points)
___ understanding interpretation and limitations of results and conclusions (4 points)
___ degree of independence in conducting project (4 points)
___ recognition of potential impact in science, society and/or economics (4 points)
___ quality of ideas for further research (4 points)
___ for team projects, contributions to and understanding of project by all members (1 point)
- automatically given to individual projects
Engineering Project Rubric
ASYNCHRONOUS (poster viewed online)
I. Research Problem (10 pts)
___ description of a practical need or problem to be solved (4 points)
___ definition of criteria for proposed solution (3 points)
___ explanation of constraints (3 points)
II. Design and Methodology (15 pts)
___ exploration of alternatives to answer need or problem (5 points)
___ identification of a solution (5 points)
___ development of a prototype/model (5 points)
III. Execution: Construction and Testing (20 pts)
___ prototype demonstrates intended design (7 points)
___ prototype has been tested in multiple conditions/trials (7 points)
___ prototype demonstrates engineering skill and completeness (6 points)
IV. Creativity (20 pts)
___ project demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria
IN PERSON (during the face-to-face presentation)
V. Presentation (35 pts)
a. Poster (10 pts)
___logical organization of material (4 points)
___clarity of graphics and legends (3 points)
___ supporting documentation displayed (3 points)
b. Interview (25 pts)
___ clear, concise, thoughtful responses to questions (4 points)
___ understanding of basic science relevant to project (4 points)
___ understanding interpretation and limitations of results and conclusions (4 points)
___ degree of independence in conducting project (4 points)
___ recognition of potential impact in science, society and/or economics (4 points)
___ quality of ideas for further research (4 points)
___ for team projects, contributions to and understanding of project by all members (1 point)
- automatically given to individual projects
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